We miss the old Negan in The Walking Dead: Dead City – Not for the mayhem, but for wit

Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Negan Smith had one of the best redemption arcs on The Walking Dead and he ultimately became a main protagonist with Maggie in the spin-off series The Walking Dead: Dead City.

While Negan has done some of the most brutal killings in the parent series, his psychopathic survival and leadership style were some of the best parts of the main show, which somehow got lost in the spin-off series.

His complicated relationship with Maggie did have remnants of his old savage and witty self, but as the show progressed, it faded out in the background. Killing Maggie's husband, Glenn, in TWD still remains one of his most horrific acts, and she never got over it or forgave him.

After the shocking season finale, in which Negan is separated from Maggie, we hope he might channel his brutal old self back.

More on Negan in The Walking Dead: Dead City in our story.

Negan's character is completely transformed in The Walking Dead: Dead City

Negan is the best example of a character transforming from a vicious antagonist to a fan-favorite main character. While Negan started as an antagonist in The Walking Dead, he was not a typical villain because of the circumstances.

Swearing by the mantra of survival of the fittest, Negan did everything in his power to survive in the post-apocalyptic world. While his leadership style was harsh and often came at the expense of others, the circumstances somehow always worked in his favor.

While he did some atrocious things in the main series, his character transformed completely after that. And while his redemption arc was suitable for his character to grow into a protagonist for The Walking Dead: Dead City, it came at a cost.

The savage dark humour and wit that were Negan's signature traits are completely absent from the spin-off series. We did get a glimpse of these traits in The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 1 in his interactions with Maggie, but other than that, Negan is completely transformed and has lost his charm.

The Walking Dead: Dead City needs to bring back the old Negan

It was over for Negan once Maggie sold him to the Dama in exchange for Hershel in the Season 1 finale. While we did see remnants of Negan's old savage attitude in The Walking Dead City: Dead City Season 2 premiere, it was not enough.

The once mighty and ruthless antagonist of the flagship series is now imprisoned by the Dama, and while he did try to earn his freedom back with half-witty jokes, it did not work in his favor. In addition, after the events of the Season 1 finale, Negan is also contemplating returning to his ruthless leadership style.

He used his old style to scare the gang in Season 1 and stop them from chasing Maggie. The knock-knock joke before the brutal attack was exactly what the show needed, and that glimpse of the old Negan was enough evidence that the show needs him.

Negan's witty remarks and cheeky observations could surely elevate the grim tone of the show. It would also be interesting to see how he will channel his old self back after transforming into a good guy. While he had no morals back then, he is a changed man in The Walking Dead: Dead City, and that should add another layer of complexity if he decides to become old Negan again.

Talking to ScreenRant, Morgan discussed how fans will see a different side of Negan in Season 2:

''I always come out of the box real f--king dark, and then you find out that there's another side to him. I think that this year, we'll find out yet another side of Negan and his relationship, and how that works with Maggie in this world of post-apocalyptic New York.''

The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 2 is now streaming on AMC+.

Trending

For the latest scoops on your favorite TV shows and movies, follow SoapCentral.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback